TETA K-12 Committee
High School Interest Chair
k12.hsinterest@tetatx.com
When prompted to write something for the Texas Theatre Notes, I had a little bit of “writer’s block,” so to speak, and I thought the best resource was to ask my students what I should write about for a topic. During their prompting they generated several creative ideas that would be very interesting, but I need some time to think about them… especially the suggestion that all theaters should come equipped with a Taco Bell. God love them!
Fortunately, the little planning session brought another topic to mind. I use the phrase, “All that Jazz,” pretty often during class, in rehearsal, etc., and it occurred to me that sometimes we say things so casually and never realize that the students have no clue what it means.
Well, one day, a freshman student spoke up and said, “Mr. Moore, what is ‘Jazz?’” I said, “You know… Jazz….?” and added a little wave of my hand to clarify. Of course, I realized in that moment that I had to give them more detail instead of restating the unobvious. Then I explained to the student in great detail “Jazz’s” definition starting with the musical, Chicago. It clicked, and the student replied, “Oh!...all THAT JAZZ.” I was proud.
I believe that music is conducive to learning, and that’s why I play it during class time when the students are being creative. I typically play show tunes or Glee. The kids will occasionally hear me sing along, but even more so I will begin to hear them sing along while working. It is quite impressive. The other day we were listening to Little Shop of Horrors and noticed that one of my students had been singing along to “Suddenly Seymour.” It is funny because she switched the name Seymour…to C. Moore, that’s me. If we take the lyrics of the song and apply them in terms of a theatre teacher, I think we are onto something:
“Suddenly Seymour
Is standing beside you
You don’t need no makeup
Don’t have to pretend
Suddenly Seymour
Is here to provide you
Sweet understanding
Seymour’s your friend”
We theatre teachers metaphorically stand beside our students—and sometimes literally when they are acting up (no pun intended, but it works). “You don’t need no makeup, you don’t have to pretend”—I think we try to create environments where we are open and accepting of our students. We are there to teach our students and provide them understanding, and we build relationships and rapport with our students. Maybe we all are Seymour?
In closing, (I promise my notes in the future will be longer and much more ambitious—when it is not OAP season.) I hope all of you in high school world “Break Legs” in this year’s UIL OAP contest. I am very excited to be a part of the K-12 committee. Please let me know how I can help. I also hope to see all of you at Summerfest!